Andalucia is launching a special task force to track down illegal tourist flats, it has emerged.
The new unit was announced by the region’s tourism minister Arturo Bernal on Thursday.
He revealed that more than 10,500 tourist rentals have been cancelled across Andalucía since the region introduced its tough new rules on holiday lets in 2024.
The closures come under Decree 31/2024, which tightened existing legislation on Viviendas de Uso Turístico (VUTs) to tackle the surge in unlicensed and non-compliant properties.
According to Bernal, they are part of a wider ‘strategy of control and regulation to guarantee legality and quality in tourist accommodation’.
Police support and municipal collaboration
The Junta has stepped up inspections with the backing of a special police unit attached to the Policia Nacional, working alongside tourism inspectors to identify illegal activity on the ground.
At the same time, new agreements have been signed with eight major cities – including Sevilla, Malaga, Granada, Cadiz, Jerez de la Frontera, Almeria, Alhaurin el Grande and El Puerto de Santa Maria – with a further 23 towns in the pipeline.
These deals will allow the regional government and local councils to share data, coordinate action and strengthen enforcement.
Smarter systems
One of the most significant innovations is an upgraded Tourism Registry system, which now issues preventive alerts when a landlord attempts to register a property in an area where urban planning rules restrict tourist lets.
Bernal said the combination of tougher inspections, more cancellations, and closer collaboration with local authorities is already proving effective.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
